Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Advocates for Talks on Cauvery Water Dispute Amid Farmer Opposition

Cauvery Water Sharing Dispute in Tamil Nadu

Chennai, July 28 - The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C. Joseph, supports engaging in bilateral discussions with neighboring Karnataka to resolve the ongoing Cauvery river water sharing conflict. However, farmer organizations are urging the government to cancel the proposed talks, as reported by an official source on Tuesday. The state is currently facing a severe water crisis, particularly in the Cauvery Delta regions of Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, and Nagapattinam.

This situation poses a risk to the short-term Kuruvai rice crop. Additionally, due to insufficient water levels, the traditional opening of the Mettur Dam, scheduled for June 12, has been postponed. Consequently, farmers are advocating for the state government to explore legal avenues instead of pursuing negotiations with Karnataka.

During a consultation meeting on Monday with the state's Agriculture Minister R. Vinoth, farmer representatives demanded the cancellation of the proposed talks between the two states. Representatives from the Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Association argue that direct negotiations would bypass established legal processes and contradict the Supreme Court's ruling. Meanwhile, the opposition party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), which has strongly opposed the bilateral discussions, is calling for the state government to establish a special tribunal to resolve the Cauvery water dispute and ensure Tamil Nadu receives its rightful share of water.

In a landmark ruling in 2018, the Supreme Court established the Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee to oversee the implementation and monitoring of the water sharing agreement. Between June 1 and July 22, 2026, Tamil Nadu was supposed to receive 31 TMC feet (31 billion cubic feet) of water, but has only received 3.5 TMC feet so far.